Popular shounen from the early 2000s, Shaman King had a small but fervent fanbase. The supernatural storyline was quite inventive and interesting, especially in light of the long history of shounen anime that had attempted to use spirits and ghosts as a central premise.
The interesting art style reflected the morphing and changing of shounen anime as a medium at that point in time. Shaman King is back, 20 years after the original debuted! Let’s discuss 6 anime series that, 20 years later, are comparable to Shaman King 2021. There are a lot of reboots on this list, so beware!
1. Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Gon Freecss, a 12-year-old boy trying to find his father, a former hunter, is the main character of Hunter x Hunter. A hunter dedicates his life to doing risky missions like exploring new territory and locating rare goods and beasts. But to become a hunter, one must endure a difficult exam that frequently renders the participants disabled or worse. Gon thinks that by taking up hunting, he may locate his father, Gin.
Along the way, he meets some exceptional people with whom he shares goals but who have distinct motivations. Similar to Asta from Black Clover, Gon is likewise raised as an orphan in the series. But it eventually becomes out that his father is still alive. A different anime series based on the source material lasted for 62 episodes from 1992 to 2001. The original series has been completely rebooted in this one. Two anime movies are also part of the franchise.
2. Bleach
Ichigo Kurosaki may appear to be a typical student, but he has a special talent: he has the capacity to see, hear, and communicate with ghosts. After a Hollow attacked his family, he unintentionally became a Shinigami, and to defend them, Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper, gave him extraordinary abilities.
Since then, Ichigo has been tasked with driving out Hollows and leading wandering souls to the Soul Society. Another supernaturally themed shounen anime is called Bleach (it also contains many comical scenes). The main characters of Bleach (Ichigo) and Shaman King (Yoh) are both accomplished swordsmen who have the power to perceive and communicate with souls.
3. Fate/Zero
Wars have been fought for the Holy Grail, a mythical object that can give its owner any wish, throughout history. Emiya Kiritsugu is a participant in the Fourth Holy Grail War, a brutal conflict involving seven fighters and their legendary allies, because of his connection to the Einzbern dynasty. Kotomine Kirei, a priest attempting to fill the gap inside himself, poses the greatest threat to Kiritsugu in this titanic conflict, while his familiar Saber serves as his greatest ally.
This story, which takes place ten years before the events of the four-year-old Fate/Stay Night, introduces the famed Fate franchise. The two shows Shaman King and Fate/Zero share a similar theme or use known characters as their main points of similarity. While the familiars of Fate are more physical allies who battle with their masters, the Shamans of Shaman King have guardian spirits with whom they unite hearts and minds to attain enormous strength.
4. Ushio to Tora (Ushio and Tora)
When Ushio discovered an old youkai trapped in the cellar of the temple his father oversaw, he finally began to believe the strange and fantastic tales his father had been telling him about the world of youkai throughout his life. Tora, a formidable demon held captive by the Beast Spear, an antiquated magical weapon impaled in his shoulder, is the youkai in question.
Tora makes an attempt to persuade Ushio to free him from prison, but the 15-year-old is too smart for that. Ushio, however, is compelled to rip the spear from Tora’s shoulder and rely on the demon for assistance as a plethora of youkai lay siege to his homeland! With the Beast Spear in his hands, Ushio is introduced to a world more deadly than he could have ever imagined as they go together into the spiritual world that had previously been out of sight for him.
Ushio to Tora and Shaman King (2021) are quite similar to one another, both in terms of the shows’ respective plots and in terms of details that are connected to the plot but not a part of it. Both titles are actually remakes of much earlier works; Shaman King was released this year to mark the 20th anniversary of the Shaman King anime, which first broadcast in 2000.
A remake of the Original Video Animation from 1990 is called Ushio to Tora. Both tales deal with the paranormal, with Shaman King concentrating on various types of ghosts and spirits while Ushio to Tora more closely resembles Japanese mythology by emphasising youkai. In both series, the main characters encounter extraordinarily ancient and potent spiritual allies and even use weapons that give them special abilities to face their enemies.
5. Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Aladdin spent the majority of his life imprisoned in his room, but after escaping, he began to travel the globe with his flute, which can call upon a Djinn (Genius) by the name of Ugo. Alibaba was an adventurer who wanted to explore a dungeon in order to claim its wealth. He decided to join Aladdin on one of his expeditions. After some time passed, Aladdin unexpectedly learned that he belonged to the unique class of magicians known as Magi, who can collect and use Rukh at will. Magi are thought to aid and direct humans as they establish empires.
Aladdin also discovers that there are three more Magis, but that Judar, a nefarious Magi with the power to command black Rukhs, is one of them. Aladdin and his new teammates must now ascertain Judar’s genuine motivations. Another excellent shounen that blends fantastical adventures and action sequences is Magi. Aladdin and Yoh, the main characters in Magi and Shaman King, are both strong individuals with comparable personalities. Spirits (Shaman King) and Djinns (Magi) are comparable beings.
6. MÄR
A 14-year-old boy named Ginta Toramizu has been having dreams about the place called “Mär Heaven” and hopes to visit it one day. One day, the Gate Keeper Clown from Mär opened the gate for Ginta, fulfilling his wish, and Ginta was transferred to the enigmatic land of his dreams.
However, Ginta’s enthusiasm for the realm of Mär quickly subsided when she learned that a war against the “Chess Pieces” was likely to break out. Ginta must now continue to serve as one of the “predicted heroes” and preserve the world. Both anime are filled with action and adventure situations where the main heroes and their allies must engage in conflict with other characters in order to accomplish their objectives. In MR, the protagonists employ spirits as well to aid them in combat. This anime is unquestionably a fantastic choice if you enjoy Shaman King!
7. Kiba
In Kiba, two buddies named Zed and Noah travel a dystopian future while staying out of the way of the authorities. Zed is taken to a different magical realm where spellcasters known as “Shard Casters” engage in combat utilising marble-like spells known as “Shards.” Zed aspires to become a Shard Caster, but in reality, he is the host of Amir Gaul, one of the six Guardian Spirits of the world. Zed and Amir set out on a journey to find the ultimate power together.
The main character of Kiba has immense power as a result of a spirit they have somehow subdued or influenced, much like in Shaman King (2021), which is similar. Zed is not a native of the world of magic and so-called Shards, but his skills there are highly significant and put him in a position similar to Asakura Hao, not Yoh. The protagonist with extraordinary abilities is accompanied by a deuteragonist who has no special abilities in both Kiba and Shaman King.
8. Soul Eater
The action takes place in Death City, the location of the esteemed Death Weapon Meister Academy “Shibusen.” The only objective of the pupils in this academy is to turn their weapons into “Death Scythes” and master the use of Death Weapons. But their weapons have a peculiar quality—they are human-human hybrids with the ability to change into weapons for demons. They need to gather 99 evil souls and 1 witch soul in order to become a Death Scythe.
Maaka, Black Star, Death the Kid, and their demon weapons Soul “Eater” Evans, Tsubaki Nakatsukasa, and the Thompson Sisters are three pupils whose exploits are chronicled in Soul Eater. Similar to Shaman King, the Soul Eater characters use the strength of other beings to battle their foes (Demon weapons and Spirits). We have a plot in both anime where the protagonists must overcome challenges in order to accomplish their objective. Another major theme in the stories is the importance of justice and friendship.